Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A woman in a coma and a man in despair change each other's lives in this romantic debut novel. Elsa Bilier has been in a coma for 20 weeks, but recently regained her sense of hearing. Thibault Gramont drives his mother to the hospital to visit his injured brother, but is himself too disgusted with his brother-who killed two teenagers while driving drunk-to join the visits. When Thibault enters a random room, seeking escape, he finds Elsa. By the end of this odd encounter, Elsa hopes her friendly stranger will return, and he does. Thibault's visits bolster Elsa's determination to emerge from her coma, and her predicament inspires Thibault to start living his life differently, in hopes that they can someday share their lives. Both Elsa and Thibault display a refreshing combination of traits-Elsa's adventurous streak as a glacier climber mixed with her humorous romantic nature; Thibault's adoration of his goddaughter mixed with genuine rage at his brother-and each possesses a limpid, compulsive voice. However, the development of the romance is slightly lopsided. It is understandable that Elsa's attachment to this kind newcomer develops into love, but Thibault's emotional journey is less relatable. Though the reader knows that Elsa enjoys his company, Thibault himself cannot know this, and is thus in the unattractive role of a man entranced by a woman who can voice neither her opinions nor her consent. Nevertheless, Avit's novel succeeds thanks to the sheer charm of its narrators. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Library Journal Review
Elsa has been in a coma for several months following a mountaineering accident. She has been able to hear the world around her for weeks but can't make this known to the people with her. Her coma appears irreversible, so she has been moved out of the way and is now rarely visited by anyone save her sister and the nighttime cleaning staff. Elsa is hungry for interaction, so when Thibault stumbles into her room in an attempt to avoid his dysfunctional family's most recent trip to the hospital, she's overjoyed. Thibault, looking for escape, finds in Elsa a perfect outlet, and he begins to suspect that Elsa may be listening. When doctors suggest that it's time to pull the plug on Elsa, Thibault will have to convince her dubious family that she is awake-if only she would wake up. Verdict Some readers might find the love story itself incomprehensible, but on the whole it this is a harmless, cute tale about two people who find a connection across a seemingly impossible barrier. Older fans of Gayle Forman's If I Stay may want to give this one a try.-Mara Dabrishus, Ursuline Coll. Lib., Pepper Pike, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
